Saturday, 17 June 2017

If you ask people what their biggest fear is, many people will have the same answer: snakes.The slithery creatures freak out a lot of people, and although most snakes are completely harmless, the few venomous ones give the rest of them a bad rap. According to WebMD, only 400 in 3,000 species of snakes actually inject venom in their prey.Snakes would much rather avoid you entirely than bite you, but obviously, there are times when snakes do bite humans. If you startle a snake hiding in the underbrush, it might lash out.With that in mind, it’s important to know what to do in the event of a snakebite.Read below to find out more about what you should not — do if you’re bitten by a snake.1. Use SuctionIt was previously thought that suction devices were good for sucking out venom, but that has since been proven wrong.There’s also an old legend that you should suck the poison out with your mouth and spit it away. Steer clear of this move as wellNever try to suck out the venom by mouth or with a suction device — this can cause more harm than good, explains HealthLine.Additionally, putting your mouth on the bite might introduce bacteria to the wound.2. Use A TourniquetMany people think that it’s a good idea to keep the venom contained to where it entered the body, so they will try to tie off the area or apply a tourniquet.According to the Carolinas Poison Center, “It’s better for the venom to flow through the body than for it to stay in one area.”3. Apply IceUnlike other injuries, it’s not a good idea to ice a snakebite.According to the Carolinas Poison Center, icing a snakebite can cause additional tissue damage — this also means you should not use any sort of cold compress.4. Cut The WoundYou may think that you can drain the venom by cutting open the bite, but this is not true.Not only is it unsafe to try to drain the venom, it can actually cause blood loss and make the injury worse, explains the Carolina Poison Center.5. Give The Victim Alcohol Or DrugsIf you’re in a lot of pain from a snakebite, you might think that alcohol and/or drugs might numb the pain.Do not drink or use drugs if you are suffering from a snakebite — even if it is painful, you need to stick it out and wait for medical professionals to give you appropriate painkillers, explains The Rappahannock News.According to the Mayo Clinic, you also should avoid caffeine — both alcohol and caffeine can speed up the rate at which your body absorbs the snake venom.6. Give Victim An Electric ShockAnother thing you should never do is administer an electrical shock to a snakebite victim.According to a study published in Wilderness & Environmental Medicine, there is no evidence to support the claim that electrical shocks treat venomous bites.7. Try To Catch The SnakeLastly, you should never, ever try to catch or kill a snake after it has bitten someone.The Mayo Clinic explains that although you should try to remember the color and shape of the snake — or photograph it — it’s never worth it to chase after the snake.Trying to capture a snake may result in another bite victim.